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Crisp Apple, Fennel Salad

(CA Pearl Waldorf)

A Huntington Beach produce spin on the classic Waldorf Salad, incorporates the fresh and dynamic zest and orange segments of the Cara Cara Orange introduced to Chef by an Anaheim, CA medical doctor & parent of a child she tutored, purchased from Costco.

Flavors are layered in this cool summer side-dish. It debuted at the Huntington Beach Library Cook Book Club on Tuesday 06-17-2025 in a Gluten-Free version and one with Red Lentils, Pearl Bulgar Wheat, and Large Pearl Couscous.

The inclusion of lentils and the bulgar wheat significantly increases the protein and nutritional value of the dish, adding Vitamin K, Potassium and Calcium to a non-meat dish. Of note, the lentils addition was in honor of Chef's new friend and fellow club member, Sri Lankan Naomi, who has shared that her husband has lentils with every meal.

Sri Lanka a thriving nation island in South Asia, just off the South East tip of Southern India. It is called the "Pearl of The Indian Ocean" because of its natural beauty. It is known for its ancient ruins and world-renowned Ceylon Tea, made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. Sri Lanka was officially named in 1972 and is commonly referred to as Ceylon. Chef has had a particular affinity to its Ceylon Sapphires.

Crisp Apple, Fennel Salad (CA Waldorf)

6 Small Fennel branches with leaves

5 Finely sliced Pepperoncini peppers & juice

5 Tbsp Mayonnaise (Best brand)

5 Lg Tbsp Sour Cream

6 Small Apples, finely sliced, (Gala)

7 Segments Orange (Grapefruit, mandarins)

1 Lg Orange Zest (Cara Cara from Costco®)

4 Tbsp Citric Acid*

3-7 Tbsp Lemon/Lime Juice

½ C Raw Sugar

1 Handful Mint Leaves (large)**

2 Tsp Coarse Salt

1/3 Pack Tzatziki Mix Powder

1 Handful Blueberries (rinsed, dried)

Directions: Finely cut Fennel. Finely slice Apples, layering

with Lemon/Lime juice & Citric Acid as you go.

Gently combine remaining ingredients (Mint

& Blueberries last.

Refrigerate until Couscous, Orzo, Pilaf, lentils or

Bulgar Wheat are boiled and cooled.

Suggested pairings: Herb Shortbread Wafers with Pate,

Cream Cheese, Anchovy Paste, Rasp-

berry Caper Spread.

Be mindful of minimizing excess water entering mixing bowl

as ingredients are added.

*To taste & to prevent Apple browning

** Hand torn after rinse & dry

Chef used: Pearled Couscous & boiled the Bulgar Wheat in Lavendar Water, w Fennel stalks, Salt; Red Lentils with Salt

Chef's creation wasn't captured. Image is similar to above recipe and found at the following site. Fennel, Kohlrabi, and Blueberry Salad - Simple Seasonal

The Recipe

What's Been Eating my Tomatoes?

Melanie B. thought perhaps squirrels. Chef suggested nocturnal creatures. Other HB Library Cook Book Club ladies suggested opossums, raccoons...

Chef sees & hears little &sometimes larger field mice & near relatives, scurry about at night.

Well, this morning an answer has presented itself. A never-seen-before-in-my-garden horned worm. He/she is healthy and vibrant. This rarity has been saved under clear bell cloche with the rest of one of his pieces of art and some sprigs of tomatoes leaf from another plant in the garden since it there don't appear to be many photosynthesizing apparatuses left on the plant he was discovered on. Upon further investigation, this fellow is a Tobacco Horned Worm as it displays horizontal white stripes instead of the "V" seen in its relative. My specimen's horn became read only after the stress of removing it from the plant and experiencing increased heat in the cloche. Perhaps it occurs after a certain age, too. Also of note is the poop packet just above the horn in the lower left image is actually how i noticed him on the plant there this dark hay bundle suspended from a leaf and nearby there he was.

07-02-2025

Watch Out!

Cross-pollinated Hot Pepper

A late-night steak and sliced pepper dinner turned into a dramatic fitful early morning upset. I cooked the steak on a bed of thinly-sliced pepper strips. And yes, there were some seeds that were ingested.

How nice, I thought to myself, a non-"heat" hot pepper with larger size than the hot peppers growing in the same pot as a bell pepper plant. Was I wrong.

I had admirably watched the growth of a hot pepper shape on my bell pepper plant. The bees usually do their thing in the early morning hours, so I didn't witness the actual activity. But moths have been heavy pollinators in my garden, too.

What had occurred is that the pollen from the hot pepper plant in the same pot as the bell-pepper plant had been similar enough, one surmises, to have pollinated the bell pepper flower. Now I had a seemingly banal pepper with an enlarged hot pepper shape.

Having eaten then fallen asleep late in the evening, i.e., near bedtime, I soon discovered that just because my taste receptors didn't shout heat, my upper GI receptors did. They responded to a 3-alarm fire. No amount of Tums could solve this issue. Up and down I went to try to relieve the situation occurring internally, just below my ribs. Being upright did seem to bring relief, but I needed to sleep.

If you ever or have ever experienced a similar reaction, but likely not due to cross-pollination, know that 'a couple of slugs' of Heavy Whipping Cream will do the trick. My GI was coated and sleep ensued. A lot of wasted sitting up in bed over the novelty of the 'literal fruit of cross-pollination'.

By Chef, 07-01-2025